In the manufacture of domestic clothes drier, the drum is normally formed from a pair of opposed heads with a substantially cylindrical sleeve extending there between. Substantially cylindrical seats on the head are snugly received in the sleeve and the sleeve is then welded to each of the heads to form a unitary structure composed of a sleeve and the heads at each end thereof. The welding operation obviously requires heat even though in many cases a simple tack weld is used to secure the two devices together.
Obviously with the above system it is necessary that the head structures if they are to be painted or coated with any heat sensitive coatings be so painted or coated subsequent to the welding operation. Thus in any lines were, for example, the outer face of the head is to be painted it is necessary this painting operation take place after the welding operation. Similarly if the inside surfaces are to be coated with a porcelain enamel or the like, for example, this coating operation can only be performed after the welding has been completed.
In many cases it has been deemed desirable to pre-paint or pre-coat the heads, however because of the manner in which the drum structure was constructed, this could not be done.
If welding is used on stainless steel heads discoloration may occur which require a subsequent operation to remove the discoloration.
Similarly, the fabricating operation where the tack welding is involved is more elaborated than what is necessary with the present invention since not only do the devices have to be assembled but they have to go through a tack welder in order to fix them together. With the present invention the assembly and securing may occur on the same apparatus.